1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hockey pucks and more particularly pertains to street hockey pucks which may be adapted for providing a playing and scoring medium for use on hard synthetic playing surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, and the like, during a game of street hockey, the puck having playing characteristics which simulate the response of a conventional puck during a game of ice hockey, particularly the characteristic of sliding flat rather than bouncing and rolling across the playing surface, the street hockey puck additionally being resistant to wear from the abrasive playing surfaces frequently employed for street hockey.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of hockey pucks is known in the prior art. More specifically, hockey pucks heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of providing a disk used in a game of hockey as a scoring and playing medium are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for providing a playing and scoring medium for use on hard synthetic playing surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, and the like, during a game of street hockey in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,973 to Kunick discloses a floor hockey puck formed of two separate materials, the first being harder, less compressible and more dense that the second so as to provide mass and strength to the puck. The second material is softer and more resilient than the first so as to provide the resilience necessary for the proper handle of the puck and also to reduce bodily harm on contact with players. The two separate materials may be arranged in layers through the body of the puck. The floor hockey puck disclosed has a cylindrical peripheral wall with relatively sharp circumferential edges which tend to promote rolling on the edge leading to unpredictable puck movement and difficulty of control.
The prior art also discloses an impact safety hockey puck as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,928 to Gentile which consists of a collapsible and resilient sidewall structure defining a cavity and air relief means provides the hockey stick contacting portion as well as, impact-shock absorbing means to protect other players or spectators. Such structure is joined by top and bottom walls means to provide durable wearing surfaces for all hard surfaces including ice, as well as, driveways, streets, sidewalks, playgrounds and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,801 to White, Sr. shows a road hockey puck provided with a generally cylindrical body of foam rubber or the like. Two smaller-diameter disks or end plates of guide material are secured coaxially therewith on respective opposite ends of the body. Both of the above mentioned patents disclose relatively complicated hockey pucks that may be economically unfeasible for the buying public because of high costs for tooling and/or assembly. Furthermore, embodiments of both of the disclosed pucks have non-durable impact surfaces leading to premature wear when used on the abrasive playing surfaces frequently employed for street hockey.
Another patent of general interest is U.S. Pat. No. Des. 323,369 to De Masi, Jr. et al. which shows a hockey puck.
In this respect, the street hockey puck according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a playing and scoring medium for use on hard synthetic playing surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, and the like, during a game of street hockey, the puck having playing characteristics which simulate the response of a conventional puck during a game of ice hockey, particularly the characteristic of sliding flat rather than bouncing and rolling across the playing surface, the street hockey puck additionally being resistant to wear from the abrasive playing surfaces frequently employed for street hockey.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new street hockey pucks which can be used for providing a playing and scoring medium for use on hard synthetic playing surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, and the like, during a game of street hockey, the puck having playing characteristics which simulate the response of a conventional puck during a game of ice hockey. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for providing a disk used in a game of hockey as a scoring and playing medium. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.